AMPTHILL
Anciently called Ametulle
A Timeline Overview
1439 - Riot at Bedford sessions by retainers of John Cornwall, Lord Fanhope (Uncle to Henry V).
1450 - A brass in the church for William Hicchecock, a leading Bedfordshire woll merchant
1512 - Ann Boleyn gave Henry VIII a hunting horn and a greyhound at a hunting party.
1513 - Catherine of Aragon sent here by Henry VIII whilst his divorce case was being tried at Dunstable
1532 - A brass in the church for Sir Nicholas Harvey, in armour
1606 - Proposal to modernise the castle was rejected by James I
1672 - Tablet to Richard Nicolls, first governor of New York after its capture from the Dutch in 1664, killed by cannon ball at battle off Sole Bay, Suffolk.
1704-07 - Old hunting lodge reconstructed for Lord Ashburnham
1727 - On the east side of the church the fine brick mansion of three stories, with brick cornices and arches, was built for Sir Simon Urlin.
1740 - The King's Arms hostlery opened its doors.
1745 - The the left of the east side of the church Foulisea House is built. The ionic porch supports a central feature running through the two stories. The buildings and stables at the side were added at a later date.
Mid 18th century - On Thursdays the stage wagon left for the Windmill Inn, St John's Street, Clerkenwell, London which was reached on the following Sunday. The post boy brought the mail bag to the post office at twelve and set out again at three o'clock in the afternoon.
1784 - Obelisk erected in the marketplace
1790's - The brewery founded by John Morris was rebuilt and new facades were given to earlier houses of the Tudor and Stuart periods.
1798 - The small dwelling house to the east side of the church (grey painted in 1947) was built.
1810 - The range of cottages on the right ending in Brandeth House were constructed as was the Ampthill News Office.
1818 - A column commemorates Lord Ossory of Ampthill Park
1835 - Workhouse being built. - a riot at the old workhouse on Park Hill, a detachment of metropolitan police stopped the afray
1852 - The present Moot Hall built
Ampthill Links
A brief story about Albert Edward Grimmer
There is really only one place to go - an excellent site at: www.ampthill.org.uk
Significant links from that Home Page are:
Ampthill & District Archaeological & Local History Society
For forthcoming events - this will help you out.